Cuchulainn

Cuchulainn is the primary hero and protagonist of Tain. His birth is significant, as he is essentially born (or at least conceived) three times, giving him three lineages - Burg, Ulster, and a race of semi-divine beings called the side. To associate Cuchulainn with the side accomplishes a justification for his superhuman powers, much as Hercules or other heroes in Greek mythology were semi-divine in their origins.

Cuchulainn, at a mere five years old, is capable of fantastic feats, including beating 150 boys at wrestling or "Shoot-the-Goal"; defeating the vicious guard dog of Culann the Smith, after which he became the "Hound of Culann," adopting his namesake; killing several men in combat; and lifting 30 warriors above his head on a bed.

At the time of the Tain, Cuchulainn is seventeen, in some ways a "beardless boy" (he must use a fake beard so men will fight him), but in...